“ON OUR NATURE”

This zine seeks to collect works exploring the relationship between humans and our natural environment. Any narrative or subject that fits within this overarching theme is acceptable—really, anything! International submissions are heavily desired and encouraged.

ACCEPTABLE MEDIA & FORMS

• Visual:

• Nature photography, especially shots which highlight the relationship between local ecosystems and humans/urbanization.
• Paintings, prints of any kind, drawings, sketches, scientific illustrations.
• Multi-view photographs of sculptural work, especially if made from upcycled or naturally sourced materials—sticks, shells, what have you.
• Multi-view photographs of pottery or other ceramic works.

• Written or Multimedia:

• Essays and photo essays.
• Fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
• Informative articles, practical guides, and tutorials (please write these in a relatively accessible manner, i.e., keep stuff at an introductory level and do not overuse technical jargon). You can include accompanying photos, drawings, or diagrams.
• Sheet music, song lyrics, tablature (please also provide a link-able recording of the music; will be embedded via QR code).

SUGGESTED TOPICS

The theme is deliberately broad, and you do not have to limit yourself to the suggestions below. Please submit anything that is thematically suitable. That said, here are a few specific potential subjects to stimulate your thinking:

• Indigenous silvicultural systems.
• Fossil hunting, birding, and other naturalist activities.
• Local or regional environmental history.
• Personal/community gardening, urban farming, food sovereignty, foraging, and so on.
• Ecology, botany; life science generally.
• Religious perspectives/practices in relation to nature.
• Critical examinations of the portrayal of human interactions with the environment in a specific novel, movie, video game, series of paintings, etc.

GUIDELINES

• Follow the theme.
• Must be 16 or older.
• No "skill" required, just sincerity.
• Generally, please avoid anything suggestive or harmful.

• Artistic nudity and the like is acceptable, but if your work could be interpreted as, broadly, NSFW, submit elsewhere.
• Do not submit hateful/bigoted/violent/etc. content; I will blacklist you. Same for AI generated submissions.

• You do not have to make new work for your submission.

• I will not, however, accept work that has already been published elsewhere. Posts on your socials or personal site do not count.

• I doubt this will come up, but: simultaneous submissions are cool. Just let me know ASAP if your submission was accepted in a different publication and is no longer available for consideration.

ENTRY LIMITS PER CATEGORY

Everyone may submit the following:

• Up to 2 prose pieces/articles, no longer than 15 pages each, double-spaced 12pt font.
• Up to 4 poems, no longer than 2 pages each, single-spaced 12pt font.
• Up to 4 visual art submissions.
• Up to 1 music submission.

The following file formats are preferred: .PNG for visual work, .DOC/.DOCX/.ODT for prose, .PDF for poetry (as to best preserve the formatting).

If your submission is multimedia, e.g., a photo essay or a tutorial with images, please make notes as to how you want it presented.

Please submit each entry separately, even if they are in the same category.

REGARDING COMPENSATION & SALES

You will not be paid for your contribution. Depending on 1) the volume of contributions and 2) my ability to finance it, I may print (cheap & dirtily) copies and sell the zine. This will be a non-profit venture, and we—myself and all the contributors—will have a discussion about how we will distribute the funds if/when we get there. 

That is to say, this is all more or less hypothetical, but I want to make my intentions regarding profit/printing/sales transparent regardless. I will not ask for help financing a print run, and I do not expect or want any of the contributors to financially contribute to one. Don’t do this nonsense at a loss! I would very well pay you if I had the means.

In any case, everyone who is comfortable with providing a mailing address will be sent a contributor copy of the zine.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Cover Contest

I am also opening a contest for the cover art. Again, anything which adheres to the theme broadly is appropriate. You can send a cover art submission without sending any general entries; in terms of my decision making, preference will be given to those who do both, however. The main prize is, of course, having your art on the front of the thing. Additionally, you will also receive some miscellaneous goodies in the mail—nothing big, I ain't loaded like that—provided you are comfortable furnishing a mailing address. An alternative prize will be negotiated otherwise.

Cover art submissions should be at least 8.5'' x 11" (if it is larger, I will crop it at my discretion), 300 DPI, and provided in .PNG format. You may submit ONE visual art piece in any medium for consideration.

Design Work

Anyone who has any experience with InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, or similar software and is interested in volunteering their skills to help with page layouts is more than welcome to do so. Please contact me directly via email (leafvertigo@gmail.com) or on one of my socials if you are interested in helping with the zine’s graphic design. You will only be expected to help much as you have the time and desire to.

Unfortunately, I am unable to pay you, but if you are younger and inexperienced, it may, at the very least, benefit your resume/CV.

DEADLINE & SUBMISSION FORMS

Currently, the deadline for both general submissions and the cover contest is August 1st, 2025. This is subject to change depending on the volume of submissions, but if you are interested in participating, please do make an effort to get your work in well before the deadline.

General Submissions | Cover Contest Submissions

CONTACT THE “EDITOR”

e: leafvertigo@gmail.com | ig: sbtroutfisher | website